turf and surf
Prior to the introduction of tourism to the area, Tamarindo had been a fishing village in the northern Pacific coastal region of the country. The area now has a variety of water sports including snorkeling, swimming, SCUBA diving, tour fishing and nearby wildlife refuges. Marlin, tuna and sailfish are of the variety of fish one may catch while offshore and several smaller species from the volcano rock lined beaches. Playa Tamarindo presents strong currents and rips in and around barely submersed rocks, remain aware of this if you are snorkeling, surfing or diving and all other water sports.
Playa Longosta is slightly south of Playa Tamarindo where there is the “langosta” shrimp which are more commonly known as lobster. There is an abundance of longosta and divers will often find them not too far off the rocky base during tide shifts. Unlike other shrimp and lobster, the langosta has an array of splines along its body, antennae, and legs that make it difficult to handle without proper hand protection. The langosta is also known as langosta rojo, or Rock/Red Lobster (Palinuridae).
Diverse Cultures
During my visit I stayed at the Tamarindo Backpackers Hostel a mere two hundred meters from the beach. This is a favored hostel for surfers, both men and women alike. There is a surf pro instructor who lives and works at the facility who is available for those seeking instruction. Antonio originally arrived at the Tamarindo Backpacker Hostel as a vacationer and has since established himself with the community who calls Tamarindo Backpacker Hostel their home, albeit temporary or long term. During an interview with Antonio, he reiterated what had already been discovered, that the Tamarindo Backpacker Hostel supports a family environment of young adults from diverse backgrounds.
Every person encountered was respectful and courteous, providing information and support to visitors. Although the mixed dorm I stayed in for this research had 14 beds crammed into it, the room was advertised as a 10 bed dorm on all websites listing area hostels. The room was certainly cramped with 10 people in 14 beds, and it would be impractical, if not impossible, to support 14 people in the small space designed for no more than 10 beds. The 5 bathrooms were barely enough to provide provisions to the approximate 28 people including the staff. I learned the husband and wife owners are from Texas, United States, and immediately was drawn to concluding that overcrowding the facility was a capitalist approach to maximize revenue at the expense of health and safety.
Aside from surf classes, yoga class and personal instruction was available through Elaina, an astonishingly flexible Portuguese transplant, and finely trained instructor.